Checking out of his temporary lodging. Chucking his belongings into his trusty black pickup. Folding his six-foot-five frame into the driver’s seat.

Then aiming the rig northward. For home.

After a long summer of baseball, after months of the racket’s ups and downs, the Calgarian is always thrilled to be on his way back.

Except this time.

Henderson did not want to see the conclusion of the 2012 campaign. Ever.

The pitcher, for the first time, had been granted the privilege of making his mark in Major League Baseball. And, proudly draped in Milwaukee Brewers colours, Henderson was squeezing the most out of his two-month audition.

But after last week’s eventful flourish — throwing an all-time-fastest 98 miles per hour in the Brewers’ 160th game, winning their 161st, losing their 162nd — it was suddenly over.

“A sad day,” he says. “I didn’t want to let it go. I wanted to stay there and keep playing.”

Morning after the season finale, with only an Ipod for company, Henderson steered his Chevy Colorado out of the hotel parking lot in Milwaukee.

But he managed to be buoyant. Only a year ago, the homeward hump had been even longer — from Huntsville, Ala., where he’d just completed a disheartening stint in Double-A.

So this?

A long haul with a truckful of keepsakes and a headful of memories. Not bad at all.

“It was nice,” Henderson, smiling, is saying over coffee. “It was a fun drive home, actually — better than any other time when you’re not sure what the future holds, right? It was fulfulling knowing that I’d accomplished my goal.”

Riding the blacktop for 25 hours — with an overnight snooze in Miles City, Mont. — he reflected on his coming-out party.

How he made 36 appearances for the Brewers — after making more than 300 in the minors.

How he ranked seventh in the majors with a strikeout-per-nine-inning average of 13.21, a personal high.

How he realized his dream. Finally.

“Just getting there was the biggest thing, for sure,” says Henderson. “There were so many moments. First appearance. First save. First win.”

*****

Thriving as a closer in the Pacific Coast League, Henderson was the Nashville Sounds’ sole representative at the Triple-A all-star game in Buffalo. There, he whiffed the only batter he faced.

Given his career, this had been something to savour.

“It was fun,” says Henderson, 29. “A big highlight for me.”

The best was yet to come.

Following a victory July 25, Mike Guerrero called a meeting. In a grave tone, the Nashville manager addressed his players in the clubhouse.

“He said that there were two issues,” recalls Henderson. “One, there were some high-school girls in the stands near the bullpen and they felt they were being harassed by some of the guys in the bullpen. So we just started rolling our eyes because we knew nothing happened. He said there was a police officer outside ready to question whoever it was — and he said the girls described him as a tall Canadian.

“Everyone looked at me. I was laughing and said, ‘There’s no chance.’ Then he said the second thing, ‘You keep playing the game long enough, you keep on plugging away, if you have a jersey on your back, you have a chance.’ “

Pause.

“He looked at me and said, ‘You’re going to the big leagues.’ ”

Teammates, all of whom were familiar with Henderson’s long march along the back roads of baseball, hooted.

“I was in shock. It was awesome.”

Now all Henderson had to do was pitch.

But before he could do that, reporters in the Milwaukee locker-room wanted a word.

Why were the Brewers’ relief pitchers so bad? (He wasn’t sure). What role was he going to play? (He didn’t know.) Why was he wearing No. 51, jersey number of legend Trevor Hoffman? (It had been assigned to him.)

Game time, sleep-deprived and adrenaline-stoked, he made his way to the bullpen. A lopsided score would ensure his entrance. Sure enough, with the Brewers trailing the Washington Nationals 7-0, Henderson was presented with the sixth inning. Head down, he bolted to the mound.

First up was former teammate Roger Bernadina. (Henderson, drafted in 2003 by the Montreal Expos, had been part of the Nationals’ farm system.)

“That calmed the nerves, a familiar face stepping into the box.”

Henderson fanned Bernadina as part of a one-two-three inning. Then he found a spot in the dugout to soak up the experience.

“Most pitchers, when they’re done, go back into the clubhouse,” he says, “ so all the other pitchers are like, ‘Go inside.’ I was like, ‘Nah. I’m good right here. I’m going to stay and watch the rest of the game.’ ”

“You always dream of your big-league debut,” he says. “Everything lived up to the hype.”

Soon though, Henderson’s appearances became charged with even more meaning.

The Brewers, in the process of a 24-6 run, had thrust themselves into the National League playoff race. And he was no bystander.

“It felt like I was the go-to guy in the bullpen, no matter if we were winning or losing,” says Henderson. “I was in there facing the meat of the order every time late in the game. All those outings string together as one good memory. I was pitching well down the stretch when we were in the hunt. That was memorable for me.”

In back-to-back dates, Henderson earned saves, including his first. Souvenir ball? Uh, no. Rightfielder Norichika Aoki innocently heaved it into the stands — a transgression which earned him a kangaroo-court fine.

Off the field, Henderson enjoyed himself.

Seeing Wrigley Field. Kibitzing with Hernandez, who referred to him as “the 30-year-old prospect.” Getting a rise out of Axford, a fellow Canadian (to whom Henderson recently tweeted a photo of a cup of Tim Hortons). Pocketing fat envelopes of per-diem cash. Hitching rides on posh charter flights.

One day Aaron Rodgers, star of the Green Bay Packers, strolled into the clubhouse. Another time, Henderson was rubbing shoulders with Hank Aaron and Rollie Fingers. “Pretty cool. Kind of surreal. When you see them in real life, you realize where you are.”

Now, after his wild summer, Henderson is home. And the same guy.

Already the 225-pounder is itching to get into the weight room. Soon enough, he’ll start throwing at Okotoks Dawgs headquarters.

“I’m going to do what I’ve always done — get ready for the next season. Nothing is going to change.”

Pitchers report to spring training in mid-February. Team Canada, no doubt, will request his services for the World Baseball Classic in March.

Till then, he’ll maintain focus. Because if he listens too intently, he’ll hear chatter that he’s a shoo-in for the Brewers’ opening-day roster.

He’s not nearly so bold.

“A lot of guys — bloggers, reporters, even teammates, some coaches — say that I should be there next year,” says Henderson. “It’s hard for me to wrap my head around that after being in the minor leagues for so long. But what I do take away from it is, yeah, I have proven that I can pitch up there.”

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